“The Lord, who is rich in mercy, and
ever
willing to answer the consistent prayer of the humble,
after we had called upon
Him in a fervent manner,
aside from the abodes of men,
condescended to manifest
to us His will.
On a sudden, as from the midst of eternity,
the voice of the
Redeemer spake peace to us,
while the veil was parted and the angel of God came
down clothed with glory,
and delivered the anxiously looked for message,
and
the keys of the Gospel of repentance.
What joy! what wonder! what amazement!”
Obviously, I’m not a writer. At the
least, not a good one or a consistent one. I would like to be, but alas I am
already in my sixtieth year of life and this is all the progress I have made.
Andrew Carnegie was attributed to have expressed that the first third of your
life was for your education, the second third of your life was for your
vocation, and the final third of your life is for your giving of service to
others. What service do I have to give?
Before the “what” comes the
“who.” I typically list spouse, each child , parents, extended family,
community, and all others. I once attended a class where the teacher
taught that if I am not at the head of the list, then I cannot be of much
assistance to others. Of course scripture teaches us to first love God with all
our heart, might, mind, and strength, and secondly to love our neighbor as
ourself. Once you chose who, then you can focus on what.
Let’s ponder what scripture
teaches. Universally scripture teaches us to love and not hate, to do no
harm, and gives us a path to follow. Why then is our world in such a mess?
Because, as individuals, we are incapable of obedience and sacrifice in an
instant. Time has been measured unto us; we are in a probationary period.
We choose what we do with our time, and we have to live with the consequences
of those choices. If we truly love God, then it only stands to reason
that we will love ourselves, who are a part of God’s creation, and love others
likewise. That does not mean we condone action contrary to God’s word.
So, according to God’s word,
if we love God, we love both ourselves and others. I love activities that
can be done simultaneously; though I have been accused of not being able to
walk and chew gum at the same time. I enjoy exercising and studying
sermons at the same time; I feel a sense of accomplishment. I believe we help
ourselves as we serve others, and at the same time we can sense God’s happiness
in our choice. Wow! A win-win-win situation. We have demonstrated
our love for God, for ourselves, and for others through the action of charity.
However, we cannot live in Zion and Babylon simultaneously; once you put your
hand to the plow, do not look back! Now, let’s return to my “others”
list: spouse, each child, parents, extended family, community, and all others.
Spouse! What a
wonderful blessing to have a helpmate! Obedience to God’s word requires
sacrifice. A broken heart and a contrite spirit are requisite. We sacrifice
selfishness for selflessness. We give of our time, our talents, and of all that
we have been blessed with. We build our home and live our lives in Zion, not in
Babylon. Eventually we become one.
Children! Each
individual child is a blessing! Responsibility is a key; we need to know
when and how to assist, and when and how to relinquish control. Parents are
partners in this process; they have a sacred and solemn duty to love, care, and
rear their children in God’s love.
Honour thy father and thy mother: that
thy days may be long upon the land which
the Lord thy God giveth
thee - Exodus 20:12.
We often think of
extended family as a sibling and their family or uncles, aunts, and
cousins. What about our ancestors? What about our posterity?
We live, work,
and worship in geographical neighborhoods, places of employment, and church
congregations. We reside in states,
countries, and this earth. Everyone
needs assistance at one time or another.
What service do I have to
give? Repentence, faith, hope, charity, and enduring well to the end!
